Tag Archives: WI

We are kicking off the MADPASS SQL Server Users group tonight in Madison. I am in the initial “Director of Membership”, keeping track of minutes and members, etc. If you are available tonight, come check it out. Overview of BI from Dave DuVarney. Pizza and Beer provided, should be good info and networking event as well.

Chapter Kickoff & Microsoft BI Overview

Many of today’s organizations rely on SQL Server and SharePoint to run their businesses. Included with these products is a tremendous ability to also derive valuable insight from an organizations data. In this session, Dave will walk through where the Microsoft BI solutions have come from, where they are today and where Microsoft is headed in the future. After leaving this session, you should have a better understanding of what Microsoft offers and how best to apply it in your environment.

Date: Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011 5:30 PM

Speaker: Dave DuVarney is an independent BI consultant and trainer. He has broad technical knowledge and has been involved in multiple software development projects ranging from contract management systems to human rights auditing. He is proficient in numerous development languages as well as Microsoft Business Intelligence technologies. Most recently he has been consulting and developing with SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services, Reporting Services and Integration Services. Dave is the co-author of Professional SQL Server Reporting Services 2000, Professional SQL Server Reporting Services 2005 and SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services Step by Step.

Location: 2310 Crossroads Drive Madison, WI 53718

Park behind the building and walk in main entrance. Our room will be straight ahead on the first floor.

I love Beyond Compare. Why? First off, their parent company Scooter Software is based in Madison, WI – so that is cool. Second, it is the best damn compare tool I have ever used. I use it for comparing every type of file, folders, folders to FTP, whatever. I love it. Best 30 dollars spent on software. I wish it did more, I could make a wish list.. anyways, to use it to do your source control compares for TFS and SVN? pretty easy.

I still love it. Like I said, I don’t use it as a phone. But I have noticed something different (And I blame AT&T for this – working for cell phone company for 5 years, I blame the carrier :))

In Madison/Sun Prairie, I get 3G ,works great, no issues. When I drive out to work, in the big city of Waterloo, WI – there is no 3G, just Edge/2G. I noticed that the phone is just “Searching..” or low bars – trying VERY hard to connect.

What I did was turn off 3G and it was at FULL bars. So once I get to work, I turn off 3G, and once I leave, I turn it back on.

What it is, the phone is hanging on to the 3G signal from the big town of Sun Prairie, and tries, tries, tries its hardest to hold on to that. Bad handoffs or something. The cell sites aren’t handing it off gracefully to the Edge/2G network, so I have to force it.

We are again looking to fill out our Business Intelligence team at Trek Bicycle Corporation. What I am looking for with this position is someone who is both technical and has the business analyst skills needed to work with end users, gather requirements, etc. You can read more about the position here:

I usually don’t mix in a ton of work blog posts here, but I will make a few exceptions.

Some of you probably don’t know, but recently I became the Business Intelligence Manager at Trek Bicycle Corporation, and I need to add a person to the team. The position would be working out of the HQ in Waterloo, WI

We are looking for a Database Administrator (DBA) that is focused on the Microsoft Database and BI stack. Someone who has worked with large volumes of data and moving and optimizing large databases, and of course implementing DB best practices (Security, performance, etc). If you would like more info on the requirements, check out the job posting below or you can contact me for more info.

This sunday (Dec 14th), the Band I am in (Saturday Morning Cartel) is playing at the Annex in Madison. We are doing a charity/benefit show. The tickets are 10.00 and it all goes for the cause, which is for a little girl who is having medical problems. It will be my first show with the band where we are playing in Madison, so that is cool.

Since moving to Madison, WI back in November of 2007, not much has changed as far as the living situation. The apartment we are in is ok, and I was planning on not moving for a while. I just counted today and I have moved like 12 times since 1998. Yikes.

Fast forward 6 months, we come home and have a letter saying basically “you can buy it, or you can move” which is total BS. On top of that, I asked if we could move out early, since we are being FORCED out. And of course they said no. Greedy, greedy. I really do hope someone run across this post and sees how greedy they are, and that they should look for somewhere else to live.

Anyway, we found some new condos in Sun Prairie, WI which is about 2 miles east of where we live now. These condos have been sitting empty for a while, and no one has even lived in them. We are moving in there next weekend, a bigger place, and just nicer all around.

The funny thing is, the old apartments are changing rentals into condos, and the new place is turning condos into rentals. You would think that these places would be wanting to keep rentals as rentals, especially the way the housing market is. Do they really think someone is going to buy the apartment we are in as a condo? If they did they would really be missing out. Overpriced and really just not worth how much they want for it.

So, #12 move, coming up here soon. This time I am getting smart and hiring movers. I will get a case of beer, and watch THEM move. So worth it.